Commodity trailers are often used to haul a grain or other harvested commodity (e.g., corn and soybean) in and around a farm and/or over a road. The trailers can be of a monocoque or semi-monocoque construction having walls and one or more tubs constructed between the walls that carry and support the commodity. Each tub has walls that are sloped from a larger opening at a middle or top of the tub to a smaller opening at a bottom of the tub. Each tub includes a door at the bottom of the tub that opens partially or fully to allow the commodity to unload and flow out of the tub at a desired rate into a pit, or into a piece of farm equipment that transfers the commodity to a storage location.
The trailers are often unloaded in dark locations and environments. In order to have control over the flow of the commodity, current commodity trailers incorporate the use of after-market work lights that are ordered and then installed on the commodity trailers. The work lights can be mounted on the frame of the commodity trailer, and can be powered with auxiliary power from a tractor coupled to the trailer (i.e., with an extra plug) or in another manner. While the use of such work lights provides some lighting, the lighting is often dimmed, reduced, or obscured due to the location and orientation of the work lights and the shadows that are formed underneath the commodity trailer. Additionally, the use of such work lights is costly, requires extra time to install and implement, and must often be significantly modified or adapted for installation on each unique commodity trailer.
In light of the shortcomings of existing lighting systems used in conjunction with commodity trailers, improved commodity trailer lighting systems continue to be welcome additions to the art.